Raised by the Fallen Angel
by Beater with a Brain
Summary: Sequel to "Heir to the Serpent" Read that one first. Draco and Hermione's relationship continues to grow as the gang looks for more Horcruxes and come closer to the end of Voldemort. This time it's from Draco's point of view. DM/HG, HP/GW, RW/LL
1. Chapter 1: A Visit to the Prince

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling and copywrite of her various publishers, along with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The following story is meant for entertainment purposes only and no money is being made off of its internet publication. Enjoy.

Author's notes: So I know that this has been a long time coming but it is finally here, the loooooong awaited sequel to my story "Heir to the Serpent" and this one is from Draco's point of view. I am sorry that it took this long to post this story, I r3eally have no excuse for it except for the fact that I still have not been able to complete this sequel. I feel though that if I have the first part of the story up, I should be able to finish quickly. I started writing this story six years ago, so forgive me if the writing is too terrible. Anyway, without further ado, please enjoy…

**Raised by the Fallen Angel**

Chapter One: A Visit to the Prince

Draco Malfoy leaned against the stone wall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His robes were opened and underneath he wore a green silk shirt and a pair of black fitted trousers. Gathered around him were Blaise Zabini, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, and Neville Longbottom. Harry was holding a locket out to Ron. Until a few nights ago, the locket had been a piece of Voldemort's soul, but then the locket had been hit with a cloud of fire breathed from a Chinese fireball and had lost all magical properties, as well as being reduced physically to a melted and bent piece of jewelry. The group had decided that they needed to hold onto the locket, although Draco still couldn't see the point of doing such a thing. He saw even less point in what Harry was doing at the moment.

"Just give it to her Ron. We all know you like her." Harry said. "We saw how you reacted when she couldn't come with us from the Avalinguis."

"Do I have to?" Ron whined, a painful look on his face."

"Yes," Harry insisted.

"Why can't you give it to one of your girlfriends" Ron asked the group at large.

"Haven't got one mate," Blaise replied.

Ron turned to Neville, who was looking in another direction, not paying attention. Draco had noticed that Neville seemed distant lately, actually, ever since they had gone to get the locket. Draco suspected he had something urgent on his mind. "Oh come off it." Draco answered for Neville. "We all know he hasn't got a girl."

Ron's gaze switched to Draco. Draco looked at Ron as though he were insane. In fact he was insane if he thought Draco was giving that thing to Hermione. "Right," Draco said sarcastically, "I'm going to give my Muggleborn girlfriend a locket that used to be part of my Muggleborn hating father's soul."

Ron turned to Harry, who gave his best friend a look similar to the one Draco had given him. "Ron," Harry said. "I think that your sister has had enough of owning Horcruxes to last her a lifetime." He was referring to the diary that had taken over Ginny five years previously.

"Fine," Ron sighed, taking the locket from Harry. He walked over to where Hermione, Ginny and Luna were sitting under a tree near the lake. Hermione was doing Arithmancy homework, Luna was reading the Quibbler, and Ginny was sprawled out on the grass. An October breeze rustled the leaves above them as Ron stepped in front of Luna.

"Hey Luna" he said, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Luna put down her magazine and looked up at Ron. "Yes," she said in her dreamy voice.

"Um, in private?" Ron said blushing slightly.

"Oh, of course Ronald," Luna replied and stood up. He led her away to a place along the lake where his friends could see him, but not hear him.

"Look Luna, I uh, I really like you, you know, and I uh, I want you to have this." Ron blushed crimson as he held out the locket. "That is, if you want it, If not I'll just uh, I'll just keep it." Luna took it and put it on, taking her butterbeer cork necklace off. She put her usual necklace in her pocket and leaned up to kiss Ron. Ron's face became the color of a tomato.

"So, am I your girlfriend now?" Luna asked. Ron simply nodded and she led him back to sit down with the girls.

Draco took a galleon out of his trouser pocket and handed it to Harry. "Guess he had the guts to do it after all." Draco said, and the boys walked over to Ron and the girls.

* * *

><p>"Okay, so Ron and Neville, me and Blaise, and Harry and Draco," Hermione said as the six of them were getting ready to practice spells in the Head Common Room the next day. Harry's copy of <em>Advanced Potion Making<em> was lying open on the table. Despite objections from Harry, Ron, and Draco, Hermione had insisted that they use the spells found in the book. In fact, Hermione's insistence had apparently been the only reason Harry hadn't gotten rid of the book in the first place.

Draco nodded and went with Harry to one side of the room to practice. Both Harry and Draco were good blockers and after half an hour each had only managed to hit the other once. Draco ventured a look to his left and found himself hanging upside down by his ankles. As Harry got him down, Draco's gaze was still to the left, where Ron and Neville were practicing. Neville seemed more concentrated now, when he was practicing, and better at spells to boot. Neville hit Ron with a bat-boogey hex and Ron ended up stumbling backwards and almost losing his balance. Harry had walked over to Draco, probably wondering what the blond was looking at.

As Neville took his hex off of Ron, and Ron proclaimed that the hex could have rivaled his sister's, Draco turned to Harry. "I need to talk to you," Draco said, and he and Harry went up to Draco's room.

"It's Neville," Draco said, "He's acting weird isn't he? Ever since the other night when we went to get the locket. I mean, I was with you until the last room right? What happened?"

"Hermione didn't tell you?" Harry asked.

"No, was she supposed to?"

"Well, not exactly, but I mean, I thought she's tell you of all people."

"Tell me what?"

"Well, I told her and Neville something, something that's been bugging me and Neville really needed to know but…"

"Spit it out Potter" Draco interrupted.

"Neville might be the Chosen One. The prophesy never said it was me. It just said that it was a boy, born at the end of July, whose parents had defied Voldemort three times."

Draco let out a sigh that expressed his feelings of relief, amusement, and exasperation.

"It has to be you. The prophesy says it's you."

"No it doesn't! I just told you that it doesn't!"

"Not your prophesy you idiot, mine."

"What?"

"My prophesy says 'two moons before the Chosen One, another shall be born.' My birthday is May 31. That's two months, or two moons before yours." Harry's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, but he smiled.

Just then the boys heard a shout of "Sectumsempra!" Everything seemed to be going in slow motion and Harry was even shouting the clichéd "No!" as the two boys flew out of the room as quickly as they could. But it was too late. Ron lay on the floor, his face and chest spurting blood. Ron was shaking violently, looking like he had been cut with a sword. Draco jumped over the banister and grabbed a light blanket off one of the sofas. He raced over to Ron. Hermione helped him gingerly take off Ron's robes and shirt. Draco pressed the blanket over Ron's chest and applied pressure, as Hermione began muttering healing charms over their friend.

"No good," said Draco, "we need the counter-curse."

"Should I get the nurse?" Neville asked.

"No," Draco responded.

"But Draco, look at him, he needs help," Hermione reasoned.

"The nurse will only get in the way." Draco said firmly, "We need the counter-curse. Harry…"

Harry cut him off. "But we'd need to get Snape. And no one knows where he is. Even if we did know, we don't know if he would or could help Ron. He can't get in the school without someone noticing."

"Then we'll bring Ron to him. Harry, help me compress his chest. It'll keep some of the blood in. Hermione, go get Ginny and Luna form Slughorn. Neville, get McGonagall. Blaise, please tell me that my stash is still down in your room."

"Yes," answered Blaise, confused.

"Good, get my a VC and five GGs. Everybody go! I'll explain when you all get back."

The three left the Head Common Room hurriedly and quickly returned, first Neville and the Headmistress, then the girls, and finally Blaise with six vials of disgusting looking liquid in his hands.

"What are you on about with these Draco?" Blaise asked out of breath as he reentered the Common Room.

"We're going to Snape." Draco responded, "He's the only one with the counter-curse."

"But no one knows where he is." Ginny exclaimed.

"I do." Draco said without looking up. He could picture their shocked faces.

"You know! And you didn't turn him in!" Hermione screamed and drew her wand on her boyfriend. "Tell me why I shouldn't hex your balls off Draco Malfoy."

"One," Draco said unfazed, "I wouldn't be able to help Ron because I would be too distracted by my sudden castration. Two, McGonagall agrees with me that Snape may be a valuable resource, which I believe is about to be proven. And three, you want kids someday." He looked up and smiled devilishly at her. She looked shocked. Pleased with this result, he continued. "So Harry, take Crabbe and Ron will take Goyle."

"What?" Harry asked, thoroughly confused.

"We have to disguise you and Ron. Otherwise Snape may not help us." Draco explained. "All last year I kept a stash of polyjuice potion hidden so I could use it at any time if I needed guards or something." Blaise tossed Harry a vial.

"Not yet." Draco said "First, how do we get Ron there? Professor," He addressed McGonagall for the first time, "Can we side along him if he's like this?" McGonagall nodded, apparently in shock.

After walking down to Hogsmeade and administering the potion to Harry and Ron, they apparated to a desolate street in the North of England. Ron went side-along with Draco, which Draco had found took a lot of concentration and energy seeing as Ron was barely conscious. Blaise had asked on the walk down to Hogsmeade why Ron needed five vials and Draco had said that with the blood loss he didn't know how well the potion would stay in Ron's system. It seemed to be doing so normally.

Draco and Harry helped Ron walk to the small cottage at the end of the drive, with Blaise following them. Draco knocked on the door. A woman with dark hair that Draco didn't recognize opened the door. Upon seeing the boys, she acted as if she knew them, "Merlin" she breathed and quickly stepped aside, ushering them inside.

"What happened, Mr. Malfoy?" the woman asked as she helped Harry, who looked like Crabbe, lay Ron, who looked like Goyle, down on a couch.

"I'm sorry miss," Draoc said politely, wondering how the woman knew his name, "But we really need to find a man named Severus Snape. Do you know where he might be?"

"I am Severus Snape," the woman replied "I'm taking polyjuice potion." Blaise couldn't help but chuckle.

"Is something funny Mr. Zabini?" Snape asked.

"No sir," Blaise replied, "I just, I'm sorry sir, but the thought of you as a woman is rather amusing." Draco suspected that this was only half the reason that Blaise was laughing. There was also the irony of having Harry and Ron using polyjuice potion at the same time as Snape.

Before Snape could retort, Draco cut in, "Snape, we need your help." Draco said sternly "Potter's hexed Goyle. It's that same spell that he performed on me last year that you countered. We need your help sir. None of the idiots at the school know how to counter it."

"Of course," Snape said. He stepped over the bleeding boy and muttered the counter-curse.

"Potter seems to have gotten better." Snape said. Harry and Draco exchanged looks. "Or worse. Either way, he caused more damage this time. Looks like Mr. Goyle here will be incapacitated for a while."

"But what about Quidditch?" Harry asked.

"We have the match against Gryffindor this weeked." Draco covered. "Goyle's a Beater."

"I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy, but he won't be able to play. Keep him in the Hospital Wing for about two weeks."

"Yes sir," Draco sighed. He and Harry helped Ron to his feet and turned to go.

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape called.

Draco spun around. "Yes sir?"

"Have you found anything out yet about Potter and his friends? Like you are supposed to."

Harry froze and turned to Draco.

"Not much sir," Draco lied. "I am pretending to be interested in Granger, dating her, to get close to them, but they haven't told me much yet. Longbottom is acting weirder than normal though. And they do think that Regulus Black was close to the Dark Lord for some reason." Snape nodded, seemingly satisfied, and the four boys left the cottage and apparated back to Hogsmeade.


	2. Chapter 2: Miniature Wood

Author's Note: This is a short chapter but I decided to put it separately from the next chapter as I like the way it ends. And yes, I have decided to put up all that I have written already at once and start writing the rest after that. Anyway, enjoy and review…

Chapter 2: Miniature Wood

Draco and the others sat around Ron's hospital bed. It was just three days before the famous match, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Harry, who had moved from the 'Is Ron going to be okay? Will he live?' phase, was now preoccupied with Quidditch. He was nervous because he had yet to find a replacement keeper and without a keeper they couldn't play. As Harry had told them, McLaggen was a better player than some of the hopefuls Harry had tried.

Ron was fiddling with his miniature flying Krum toy. Since Hermione and Draco had gotten together and Ron had discovered his feelings for Luna, the redhead seemed to have regained his admiration for the professional Quidditch player.

"Wish this toy could come to life." Ron speculated. "Then we'd definitely kick your asses." He directed the last bit at Draco.

"I'd kick his ass," Draco corrected "for ever touching my girl."

"I wasn't with you at the time Draco." Hermione pointed out. Draco seemed unphased by this comment and went on. By this comment and went on.

"Besides," he said "Krum's a seeker, you need a keeper remember. Or you forfeit the game to me," He leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his hand and a smug look on his face.

"What you need" Luna said, holding Ron's hand, "is a miniature Ronald come to life."

Harry sighed. For once, Luna had said something that made sense, sort of.

There was a loud "twack" outside the window. They all turned to see what it was, excluding Ron, who winced when he tried and settled back down in the bed. Two small boys appeared to be practicing Quidditch. They had a makeshift Quaffle and the blond boy was tossing it toward the brunette. Another "twack" sounded as the brunette turned and hit the ball with the tail of his broom straight back toward his friend. They watched for a few minutes as the boys repeated the action over and over. The brunette didn't miss one save.

"Or a miniature Wood," Hermione said brightening.

"What?" Draco asked.

"That's Thomas Wood." Hermioen explained "Oliver Wood's cousin and apparently as good a keeper."

"He's a first year" Draco said calmly.

"Harry was a first year when he joined the team." Neville countered.

"Harry was a special case." Draco retorted.

"Maybe Thomas is a special case too." Luna said.

"He'd be a substitute They can't make a special case for a substitute." Draco tried to reason.

"Says who?" Ginny asked hotly.

"Says um…" Draco couldn't think of an answer. "Well they just can't."

"What if McGonagall said they could?" Neville asked

"Neville's right" Hermione said "McGonagall or Vector could make an exception."

"Vector won't let us." Ginny said, her face falling. "Arithmancy has taken over. It's all about rules and figures and set answers."

"To McGonagall then," Harry said.

"You need approval from the other captains to override a decision by a Head of House." Blaise said.

"We'll get it," Hermione replied. Draco looked over at her. "You forget that I'm a captain."

"You forget that I'm your girlfriend." Hermione countered.

"I'm not doing it."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not"

"Yes you are"

"No I'm not"

Draco stood in the corner of McGonagall's office as Harry told the Headmistress about his proposition, a difficult thing to do considering the room was in the shape of an oval. Or an ellipse as Vector called it. Sometimes he hated the Arithmancy Professor. Graphs and formulas had been getting stuck in his head since third year, when he had started taking the course. And they popped up at the most unexpected times. But that was not the issue at hand right now. The issue was Thomas Wood.

"What do the other captains think about this?" the Headmistress asked. "And more importantly, what does young Mister Wood think?"

"Oh Wood's thrilled. Well actually I haven't told him but I'm sure he will be. He came down early to the pitch on tryout day. He said that he wished he could play under my captainship. As for the other captains…"

Harry was cut off by Micheal Corner and Zacharias Smith entering the office. They were the captians of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff teams respectively. They were followed by Hermione and Thomas Wood.

"I've told them." Hermione said "So you don't have to explain again."

"And what do you think of the idea?" McGonagall asked the three boys.

"I'd love to play Professor, especially for Harry Potter. My cousin Oliver taught me how to keep the goals and he says I'm getting really good." Thomas was enthusiastic.

"If he's as good as Hermione claims," Michael stated, "then he is the best choice, despite his age."

"I was skeptical at first" Zacharias said, "but it's only fair to let him try. And if he fails, no skin off my nose. If he succeeds, great for him."

They all turned toward Draco. He sighed. "Let the kid have a chance Professor."

"That's very noble of you Mr. Malfoy. May I ask why you chose to allow Mr. Wood to play?" asked McGonagall. The truth was that, had Draco not agreed, Hermione could have, and probably would have put him through hell. Draco's instinct told him to give a retort such as 'he won't be able to block a single goal.' But he knew that he could say neither of these in front of Hermione. "I have my reasons." He said simply.

The day of the Quidditch match was cold and windy, but the sky was clear. Hermione was already gone when Draco awoke and headed down to breakfast. He ate quickly and walked down to the pitch with his Nimbus over his shoulder. As he'd planned, he was the first one in the locker room. He pulled on his emerald green Quidditch robes and his boots and gloves and waited for the rest of the team to arrive.

After the others had arrived and Draco had given his team the usual pregame pep talk, they walked out onto the pitch, opposite the Gryffindors. Draco shook Harry's hand and took to the skies as soon as the Quaffle was released.

"And Weasley has the Quaffle," called a familiar voice. In fact the voice was a little too familiar. Apparently Harry recognized it too. They both flew over to the announcer box and reached it just as the girl's voice announced that Gryffindor had scored the first ten points.

"Hermione!" Draco and Harry both yelled in shock.

"Hello boys" she said smiling and covering the microphone.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

"Announcing," she said, "And Warrington has the Quaffle, oh hit by a Bludger from Peakes, and Robins catches the Quaffle."

Draco put his hand over the microphone. "Why?"

"Because I don't want to have to choose sides."

"What's to choose?" Harry asked incredulously, "Hermione, it's your own house!"

"Don't you two have a snitch to catch?" she asked annoyed. The boys turned and sped off in opposite directions.

Five hours later, Draco was looking around hopelessly. Neither he nor Harry had caught the snitch yet.

"And Warrington hit by his own teammate." Draco heard. He flew down to where Goyle was.

"I told you to play worse than usual." Draco hissed. "Not to hit your own teammate." Draco had been trying to make it look like Goyle really had been hit with the curse instead of Ron. Unfortunately it was working a little too well. Draco winced as he heard that his keeper had let yet another goal in. He flew back up to his post. That made the score 270 to 130, in Gryffindor's favor. He flew for another ten minutes and then he heard that his team was attempting a goal. And…it was blocked again. Damn that kid was good.

Then he saw Harry dive. He followed his opponent, hoping beyond hope that he would get to the snitch first. As he sped downward Gryffindor scored another goal. Draco cursed mentally and continued to dive. And then Harry pulled up, not ten feet from the ground. Draco had been tricked. He cursed again. And then he saw it. Draco veered left and reached out his arm. He felt his hand close over the timy winged ball. He had done it. He had caught the snitch. He touched down and held the snitch up high.

He expected applause from the Slytherins. He expected groans of disappointment from the Gryffindors. He'd not expected the silence. But he knew why. Without Hermione saying it the whole pitch knew. Players and fans alike were speechless, and it was because he had caught the snitch. He had beaten Harry Potter, the golden boy and seeker extraordinaire, but it was much more than that. He had done something that had never happened in living memory at Hogwarts. He had caught the snitch when the other team was a hundred and fifty points up. The final score was 280 to 280, a tie.


	3. Chapter 3: Commotion and Promotion

Warnings: Adult Language, Suggestive Dialogue, Minor Violence

Author's Notes: This chapter is where the story starts to lend itself toward a more mature audience than "Heir to the Serpent." There is still nothing explicitly violent or sexual, so the rating will for now stay at T, but there will be from here on out more suggestive dialogue, harsher language, and some situations in which hormonal teenagers act like hormonal teenagers. This chapter was written as part of the original manuscript, back when I was fifteen, but I am twenty years old now and have matured as a writer and gained the immature brain of a university student. As such, this story has been written over that whole period of time and is not finished yet. The reason I am posting this is so that I will get off my arse and finish the thing. I'll let you know once I get to the part that was not part of the original manuscript, as well as when I get to the part that is completely new. So, enough commentary for now, enjoy and review…

Chapter 3: Commotion and Promotion

"A…and Malfoy catches the snitch." Hermione's voice cut through the silence. The whole stadium erupted with noise and Draco hopped back onto his broom to take a victory lap just as the rest of the players touched down. When he reached the announcer box he reached out and swung a protesting Hermione onto his broom. He flew back down to the field. As soon as they reached the ground Hermione jumped back away from the broom and Draco.

"What the hell are you doing?" she shouted.

"Celebrating my victory." He said smoothly, "Party in the Slytherin Common Room!" he added to the crowd at large.

"Oh, no you don't," Hermione warned Draco.

"What? Are you saying that they won?" Draco asked gesturing to the Gryffindor team behind him.

"Of course we won!" The speaker sounded shocked that anyone could think otherwise. Draco turned to the source of the voice. It was Ginny. Behind her stood both teams, along with a crowd that had come down from the stands to join the players. It seemed that the professors were too busy trying to keep more students from flooding the pitch that they weren't bothering with those who had already managed to get through. The crowd consisted of Blaise, Luna, Neville, Pansy Parkinson, Zacharias Smith, Michael Corner, Seamus Finnegan, two other Gryffindors whom Draco didn't recognize, and the real Vincent Crabbe, who had failed to rejoin the Slytherin team as a Beater. A short ways off, Madam Hooch was discussing which team to declare the winner with Professors McGonagall, Vector, and Slughorn.

"I caught the snitch dear." Draco feigned sweetness and held out his hand showing Ginny the golden ball.

"We scored more goals." Dean stated, "And with a substitute keeper too."

"Looked more like a substitute seeker" sneered Pansy.

"What's that supposed to mean?" shot Harry.

"You practically let him catch the snitch." It surprised Draco to hear this coming from a boy in red. "Shove it Peakes or I'll replace you," Harry snapped at the Beater.

"As long as it's not with another first year," said Draco.

"What's wrong with first years?" Thomas protested.

"Nothing," stated Demelza.

"You okayed the first year." Michael reasoned.

"My name is Thomas," the substitute keeper interjected.

"I'd say that you're scared another firstie is gonna be as good as this kid." Zacharias challenged.

"So the kid had a good day, unlike their seeker. He seems to be losing his touch." Draco smirked.

"So I had an off day, get over yourself, Malfoy." Harry snarled, resorting to last names.

"I wasn't aware that the great Harry Potter had off days" said Theodore Nott, Slytherin chaser. "Are you sure you didn't just miss Weasley? Or were you too busy staring at his sister's ass?"

Ginny slapped Nott and her teammates held both her and Harry back to prevent further blows. Crabbe and Goyle moved in front of Draco and the blond boy suspected that it was on instinct more than actual concern for his wellbeing. Just as the teachers had turned to approach and break up the fight, Draco heard a booming voice from behind him.

"Desist this instant!" Draco turned, half expecting to see Dumbledore, but the speaker was much younger, a dignified looking, bespectacled redhead. "Potter, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Granger, Peakes, Weasley, front and center." Percy Weasley shouted. The students wasted no time in lining up side by side before the man. Percy went down the line, scowling. He came first to the Gryffindor beater.

"You should be honored to be on your House Quidditch team." Percy told the boy named Peakes. "You will show your captain respect and your house honor. Do I make myself clear?" Peakes nodded and Percy moved to Crabbe and Goyle. "You two, I've got my eye on you. We've already caught your fathers and it's just a matter of time before we get you too." Crabbe and Goyle stared stupidly at Percy as he moved on to his sister.

"Why are you here anyway Percy?" Ginny asked before her brother could say anything.

"I've been promoted. I am now Assistant Minister of Education. I'm the Head of three departments at the Ministry." He responded.

"I didn't know you were interested." Ginny replied rebelliously.

"Well I had to make sure you and Ron stayed in school. The twins told me our dear brother was planning on following their bad example and we couldn't have him dropping out now could we? Although I'd hoped the two of you would pick a better crop of friends," said Percy.

"What's that supposed to mean?' Ginny retorted, but Percy just shook his head and moved along.

"Hermione" Percy said simply, "You're smart. We all know that. So why do you make these stupid decisions? I mean, come on, Malfoy? Sodding Draco Malfoy?" Hermione looked shocked and Percy moved to Draco.

"Speaking of whom, well, you're just lucky to be here, aren't you? If I had my way, you'd be rotting in a cell in Azkaban right now," the redhead said and moved on to Harry.

"Harry Potter," Percy practically spat, "I always knew that you were a bad influence on my family."

"A bad influence!" Harry repeated, outraged. "You stupid git Percy, I saved Ginny's life a little over four years ago. Two years ago I saved your dad. In the past year I've saved Ron and Bill. Oh yeah, and I'm the one who's got to save the bloody world! You turned your back on your family when they needed you most. You're a bad influence on your family Percy, not me!"

"Watch your mouth Potter. How dare you call me a bad influence on my family! You think you can get away with anything because you're famous. I mean, do you really think that Ginny would give you a second look if you weren't?"

Harry's hand flew up and hit Percy square in the nose. Percy staggered backward. When he looked up, his glasses were askew and his nose was bloody. The redhead swung back at Harry, his fist making contact with Harry's left eye. The skin around his eye was already darkening and the lens from his glasses had made cuts across his nose and above his eye. Draco drew his wand on Percy, pointing it straight at the redhead's presumably broken nose.

"Wrong move Weasley" Draco snarled. Everyone stared at the blond with his wand drawn on the Ministry official. Draco looked at Harry. "You okay mate?" Draco asked. Harry nodded and Draco turned his attention back to Percy.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Malfoy?" Percy sneered.

"You hit Harry Potter. Do you know what the Ministry has authorized me to do to anyone who causes bodily harm to the Boy Wonder?"

"You little bastard! I'll have you thrown in Azkaban for this! Both of you!"

"Go ahead" Harry shot "Arrest me. Throw me in Azkaban. There'll be killings in the streets. Wizards and Muggles alike will perish. By the thousands. By the minute. And it'll be all your fault." Harry turned on his heels and walked off. Percy stood there shocked, watching Harry's retreating back. A drop of blood from his nose fell into his mouth, which was hanging open like a fish, but Percy seemed not to notice. Draco lowered his wand, turned, and strode off after Harry.

Draco followed Harry as he burst through the door to the hospital wing. Ron sat up in bed as much as he could. Seeing Harry's black eye and bad mood, as well as the two pieces of glass protruding from Harry's face, Ron's immediate reaction was to ask, "What the bloody hell happened to you?"

"Your brother." Spat Harry angrily.

"Punching telescope?" Ron asked.

"Not the twins, Percy." Harry responded, then asked "Where's Madam Pomfrey?"

"Percy?" Ron asked in disbelief, ignoring his friend's question, He didn't have to answer though because the next moment the medi-witch strode out of her office. At the same time, Hermione and Ginny flew into the room and past Draco to Harry.

"What happened here?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"He and Percy Weasley got in a fist fight." Draco answered.

"And then you had to go and play body guard" Hermione added

Madam Pomfrey's expression turned from caring to angry. "Well then" she said "If you choose to fight like Muggles, you choose to heal like Muggles. I will not treat this injury magically." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"With all due respect Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said, "When Muggles get glass stuck in their faces they go to the emergency room. Are you suggesting he be sent to St. Mungos over this?"

"Of course not," the medi-witch responded annoyed. "He will stay here, but he will be treated the Muggle way."

"Are you going to sew him up?" Ron asked, remembering his father's treatment after a snake bite two years before.

"Yes, he'll probably need stitches." Madam Pomfrey confirmed and she rushed back into her office. Draco let out a small chuckle. The others stared at him. "Potter's going to have more scars on his face." Draco said, though he stopped laughing.

"Of six brothers, Percy is the one I'd least expect to kill you." Ginny told her boyfriend.

"Yeah, what with Ron and his Triple-H policy," Harry muttered.

"What's Ron's Triple-H policy?" Draco asked smirking.

"Uh…um…" Harry hesitated "It has to do with Ginny"

"Explain: Ginny demanded.

"Uh…broken heart, broken Harry," Harry said

"That's only two H's" Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, what's the third Harry?" Ginny feigned sweetness. Harry muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" Draco asked.

"Broken hymen" Harry said nervously, "broken heart, broken hymen, broken Harry."

"What?" Ginny yelled at her brother, "It's none of your business who I sleep with Ron!"

Ron shot up into a sitting position, wincing for a second, and screamed back "You're having sex?" Harry started shaking his head furiously and waving his hands back and forth. Draco guessed he was trying to signal 'I didn't touch her mate.'

"No" Ginny screamed "But maybe now I will." Harry's eyes widened, though Draco couldn't tell whether it was from shock or fear. "You're such a hypocrite anyway Ron" Ginny went on, "I suppose you're free to start having sex with Luna anytime you want."

"We're not having sex, if you must know" Ron retorted, "But even if we were that would be completely different."

"No it wouldn't!" Ginny screamed "Luna's one of my best friends Ron!"

"Yeah, but Luna doesn't have six older brothers ready and willing to murder any guy who so much as touches her." Harry explained for Ron.

"Exactly," Ron said, staring angrily from Ginny to Harry.

Madam Pomfrey reentered the room, her arms laden with medical supplies, looking shocked and annoyed from obviously hearing the shouted conversation about her students having or not having sex, and shooed Draco, Ginny and Hermione out of the infirmary.

Draco was quite comfortable on his favorite green couch with Hermione on his lap, reading Shakespeare's Macbeth. She was spouting off similarities between the story and the real magical world. For example, Banquo's ghost sounded like Nearly-Headless Nisck and the witches in the story called themselves 'the weird sisters' and were obviously the inspiration to the popular band of witches. Ginny and Blaise were playing wizard's chess in front of the fireplace. Draco couldn't tell who was winning. Luna was reading the latest issue of her father's magazine. Neville had chosen to spend his time in the Gryffindor common room today. There was a knock coming from the other side of the painting.

"Go open the painting Ginny, it's your brother and your boyfriend." Draco instructed. Ginny gave him a look and got up to answer the knocking. She hugged Ron and Harry as the boys came inside. Luna got up to give Ron a kiss.

"Why don't you guys just give us the password?" Ron asked, sitting down.

"Same reason you're not getting a key to our house when we get one" Draco said "So that you don't walk in on anything." He finished with a smirk.

"Oh Draco, stop it" Hermione scolded, though she was smiling. "You know that if we did anything it'd be upstairs." Draco laughed but stopped when he saw the look's that Harry and Ron were giving him. "Don't worry guys" Draco said "Hermione won't let me anywhere near the goods yet." Hermione gave him a look. "It's true!" he defended.

"Wait a minute" Blaise said, "Are you implying that you won't be staying at the manor?"

"You really think Lucius is going to let Hermione in the manor?" Draco asked Blaise.

"I thought Lucius was on the run." Hermione said "You said that you didn't know where he was." Draco didn't respond. Hermione stood up and turned to face him, asking angrily, "Draco Malfoy, do you know where Lucius is?"

"I might" Draco said quietly.

"Where is he?" Hermione looked furious.

"He's at the manor." Draco answered "Hermione, the man raised me as his own son. Hell, he still thinks I actually am his son."

"He's evil" Harry put in.

"You think I don't know that Potter? You think I don't bloody well know that? Go on, what are you waiting for, turn him in." He looked down. "I can't do it myself."

"I'll tell Kingsley" Harry said, and he left the room again.

"I'm sorry Draco" Hermione said, "But we have to turn him in"

"I know," Draco said, not looking up, "I know."


	4. Chapter 4: Raised by the Fallen Angel

Warning: Snogging scene, adult language, alcohol use (of age but in school), suggestive dialogue, minor mistreatment of animals

Author's Note: This is the chapter that the story is named after. In this chapter there is a snogging scene, but it doesn't really get sexual so I think the rating is safe. Additionally there is more talk of sex. There is alcohol use in this chapter. Draco is of age to drink, which in wizarding Britain is seventeen, however he is in school where it is contraband. There is a part in here in which Ron…mistreats an animal. I do not condone this mistreatment of animals, unless it is Mrs. Norris, which it is, so it's okay…maybe. Basically this chapter has more of the teenagers being real teenagers. So without further ado, enjoy and review…

Chapter 4: Raised by the Fallen Angel

Draco sat in the Great Hall the next morning with Blaise and their fellow Slytherin seventh years. He had just bitten into a sausage when the post owls arrived. Draco's eagle owl, Demetri, landed on Draco's shoulder and held out his leg so that Draco could remove the rolled up copy of the Daily Prophet tied to the owl's leg. When Draco unrolled the paper, the picture on the front page showed Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy being led out of Malfoy Manor by a number of Aurors. Draco slammed the paper down on the table, causing Blaise's cereal bowl to splash milk onto the table. Pansy Parkinson gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles as they were wont to do whenever Draco was upset. They all leaned in to read the newspaper.

Escaped Death Eater Found

Known Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy, who escaped from Azkaban prison in July, was found yesterday afternoon at his manor outside Wiltshire. Arresting Auror, Mr. Kingsley Shacklebott, says that the manor was one of the first places searched after Mr. Malfoy's escape, but he was not found there at that time. Shacklebott told reporters that he had received a reliable tip that led him to believe Mr. malfoy had been hiding at the manor since late August, but would not reveal his sources. Mr. Malfoy was arrested on the spot, along with his wife Narcissa, who was given a three-year sentence in Azkaban for harboring a dangerous criminal. Shacklebott claims that the Auror department will press for a longer sentence if any evidence arises that Mrs. Malfoy was involved in any Death Eater activity further than what is already known. Mrs. Malfoy would not speak to the press, but Mr. Malfoy has issued this statement: "The work of the Dark Lord is noble and ancient. He shall judge the righteous in due time." Continued on page 6.

"Bastard" Theodore Nott said "If I ever find out who tipped off Shacklebott I'll"

Draco cut him off, "They're my parents Nott, if anyone's doing anything it'll be me."

In Defense Against the Dark Arts, their first class after breakfast, Draco sat in the back with the Slytherins, glaring at the front of the classroom. Professor Shacklebott entered the room a few minutes late and seeing all of the Slytherins in the room with their arms folded over their chests seemed to unnerve him for a few seconds. Then he say on top of his desk, looked straight at Draco, and asked "Is there a problem here?"

"What do you think?" asked Milicent Bulstrode, another Slytherin seventh-year.

"I think that you are all upset that I've been doing my job." The professor stated matter-of-factly "And I think that if every single one of you doesn't get out quill and parchment and prepare to take notes then it'll be ten points from Slytherin each." No one moved for a tense moment, in which Draco and Shacklebott seemed to be trying to stare each other down. Then Draco, without speaking, bent over in his chair to get parchment, ink, and quill out of his bag on the floor. The rest of the Slytherins followed suit.

"Did you see what he said in the paper Draco?" Hermione asked him that afternoon, exasperated by Draco's brooding mood. "He made Voldemort out to be some sort og god or something." Draco didn't respond.

"I think he thought of his master as a god." Blaise said.

"More of an anti-Christ if you ask me," Ginny said.

"Yeah, and Lucius is the embodiment of Lucifer," Luna put in.

"Who?" Neville asked

"Lucifer was Satan's name before he turned evil." Luna explained "Back when he was an angel."

"Lucius Malfoy was never an angel." Ron stated firmly.

"Poor Draco," Hermione said, "raised by the fallen angel."

"Shut up" Draco said.

"Hark, he speaks" Blaise joked.

"I wonder if they found anything else in that house?" Harry said out of nowhere.

"They didn't" said Hermione "I already asked Professor Shacklebott."

"Just because they didn't find anything doesn't mean it's not there," said Ron. "Drawing room floor got any goodies under it Draco?"

Draco glared at him. "How should I know?" he asked. "They move stuff in and out of that house so often I barely recognize it from one day to the next."

"He exaggerating," Blaise said, "but only a little bit. They do have a lot of people coming to buy and sell stuff at Malfoy Manor. Every time I've been there. Someone else is over to pick something up or drop something off."

"I've got to go there for Halloween anyway to finalize the property transfer. I get everything now that Mother and Lucius are in Azkaban. We'll search the place then."

"you knew it was going to happen Draco." Blaise told his best mate. Draco was sitting slumped on Blaise's bed in the seventh-year Slytherin boys' dormitory, looking very unkept. His blond hair hung randomly about his face; he had discarded his robes and tie. Sitting there with the top two buttons of his shirt undone, his eyes downcast, nursing a bottle of firewhiskey, he looked extremely world-weary.

"I know that" Draco said, taking a swig. He lowered the bottle, twisting it around in his hands. "I just didn't think they'd take my mother. She had nothing to do with it; she even tried to stop me from joining Voldemort." Blaise and Theodore Nott, who was sitting on his own bed, shuddered. "She didn't particularly like Muggles and all that," Draco continued, "But she didn't want me to go around killing them. She's seen too much of what Death Eaters do." He stood up abruptly, "Damn it, she doesn't deserve to be in Azkaban!"

"I'm just surprised it took this long." Nott said, "I mean, hiding in his own house, how obvious can you get?"

"Shut up Nott" Draco said, dropping back onto Blaise's bed and taking another swig of the firewhiskey.

"Can't you be a little sympathetic?" Blaise asked Nott.

"You sound like a woman Blaise. 'Can't you be a little sympathetic?'" Nott taunted.

"Oh, do you knbow what a woman sounds like?" Blaise shot back.

"Yeah, do you need me to tell you?"

"Oh yes, please do. I'd love to hear from The Great Virgini."

"You do realize that rhymes with Zabini" Draco put in.

"Yeah, but we all know I'm talking about Nott. He's the only virgin here."

"I still can't believe these two lost it before him." Draco said, indicating Crabbe and Goyle, who were each leaning against a post of Crabbe's bed. Goyle grunted.

"Only because Bulstrode and Parkinson are whores," Nott said. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles.

"Can we get back on topic please?" Blaise asked annoyed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot this conversation is too vulgar fro Blaise's delicate woman ears."

"Shut up"

"Who'd you sleep with anyway?"

"None of your business Nott"

"was he good Zabini?"

"It was Padma Patil if you must know, not a bloke."

"Are you sure?" Nott smirked. "maybe it was Draco; I never knew who he slept with either."

"That's because it was Melanie" Blaise declared. Draco's head shot up.

"My sister!" Nott jumped up and rounded on Draco. "you slept with my sister?"

"Whoa, serious deja vu" Blaise commented off-hand.

"You think this is bad" said a voice from the open doorway, "Try using a time-turner."

Draco spun around. "Hermione!" he half-shouted in his shock, "Wha…? How did you…?"

"What the hell are you doing here Granger?" Nott spat. Hermione ignored him and walked toward Draco, who backed away from her and into the wall. To his surprise, she didn't hit him. Instead she took the bottle of firewhiskey away from him. "You shouldn't be drinking this" she said calmly.

"You're…you're not mad?" Draco asked.

"About what?" Hermione responded "I've known you weren't a virgin for ages and I already took away your whiskey. You look a mess." She pushed his hair out of his eyes. Standing on tip-toe, she whispered in his ear, "Come on, let's get you out of here." Stepping back, a smirk crossed her face. "Hermione" Draco half-purred, and allowed her to lead him out of the dorm, through the Slytherin common room, and up toward the Entrance Hall. He pulled her into a hidden passageway behind a tapestry off the Entrance Hall. "Where'd you get the Slytherin password?" he asked, snaking his arms around her waist and pressing his forehead against hers.

"I overheard Blaise telling it to you." She responded.

"You little sneak" he said, a hint of pride in his voice.

"You've been a bad influence on me."

"Oh, I think you were bad before me."

"Do you?"

"Yes I do. And I think you like being a bad girl." he smirked

"Draco!" she reprimanded, and he couldn't help but feel that she was only pretending to be shocked. They were silent for a minute.

"You're beautiful" he said, and she blushed. He tilted her chin up, smiling as he looked into her eyes, then pressing his lips to hers. He pulled her body to his and she allowed him, wrapping her arms up around his neck. His tongue slid across her lips. As she parted them slowly he felt her hand make its way down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt the rest of the way. His tongue slid against hers as he explored her mouth.

The oak front doors banged open and they broke apart, startled. Hermione pulled back the hanging just enough to see out. Harry, Ron, and Dean Thomas strode into the Entrance Hall, broomsticks slung over their shoulders, fresh from Quidditch practice.

"Can't believe they scheduled the rematch in May," Ron was saying to the others. They stopped in their tracks.

"It's Mrs. Norris" said Harry, walking forward again.

"I'd love to give that cat a good kick." Ron said.

"I'll give you five galleons if you do it." Dean said.

Ron smiled and walked towards Mrs. Norris. Draco hurried to rebutton his shirt as he watched from behind the hanging. Ron walked straight over to Mrs. Norris, who turned her lamp-like eyes on him. He looked around and then, in an instant, gave the cat a good hard kick. Mrs. Norris rose a foot in the air, hurtling backward from Ron. Ron looked shocked that he had actually kicked Filch's cat. Dean was bent double with laughter and Harry looked like he could be knocked over with a feather.

"Ronald Weasley" Hermione said, storming out from behind the hanging. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I could ask you the same question." He said as Draco emerged from behind the hanging as well.

"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor for cruelty to animals." She said

"But no detention," Draco added, "because I've always wanted to do that."

"Get to bed.' Hermione said. Draco was surprised that she hadn't contradicted him.

Harry, Ron, and Dean scrambled up the marble staircase. Just before they were out of sight, Dean leaned back over the banister.

"Oh by the way Malfoy," he called to Draco, "Your shirt's buttoned wrong." Draco looked down. He had indeed missed a hole at the bottom so that the buttons were done up crooked.

"Thomas" he said looking back up at Dean. "I didn't realize you wanted that detention after all."

"Nope, I'm good" Dean said quickly and vanished from sight down the first floor corridor.


	5. Chapter 5: Malfoy Manor

Warning: adult language, mild gore, mentions of physical punishment

This chapter begins the material that was not part of the original manuscript, but the story does not get into the brand new material for another couple of chapters. It is also the first chapter from the manuscript that was not combined with another chapter to make up a chapter that I felt was of an adequate length to post. Reading through the first story, I found that the chapters were too short for my liking and as you may have noticed, these chapters are longer than the chapters for the first story. The laws and procedures for the property transfer are completely made up, but wizarding Britain has its own government and JKR has not explained any such procedures other than Harry, Ron, and Hermione being left things in wills, so I figure I can make up any procedures I feel like. So anyway, read and review…

Chapter 5: Malfoy Manor

Climbing the gentle slope of the hill, Draco led Blaise, Hermione, Harry, and Ron up to the gates of Malfoy Manor. Ginny, Luna, and Neville had opted to stay at Hogwarts over Halloween, but the others had decided to come with Draco when he came for the property transfer so that they could search the manor. On approaching the gates, they could see beyond across the neatly manicured lawns to the manor itself. It was a small stone castle complete with rounded turrets at the four corners.

"Sesame Abria" Draco said, pointing his wand at the lock on the gate.

"Whatever happened to Alohamora?" asked Ron.

"You think a simple Alohamora spell would get someone into Malfoy Manor? Not with all of our money and resources," replied Draco.

"Plus all the Dark Arts stuff" Blaise added.

"Well yeah, that too. Anyway," Draco opened the gate and ushered them inside, "Welcome to Malfoy Manor. This castle was built in 1174 by Armando Malfoy and his sons Cane and Filius. Cane inherited the manor as the eldest son and his son Cronius set up the wards on the manor when it was passed on to him. Cronius made this place unplottable and inaccessible to Muggles. He also set up wards of his own design to protect the treasures and secrets held within the manor."

"Draco" said Harry.

"Yes?" Draco replied.

"You sound like a cross between Hermione and a tour guide for a haunted house." Ron and Blaise laughed at the sentiment.

"May I be excused from this speech?" Blaise said with a smile so sickly sweet that it had to be fake. "I've heard it every time I've come here and it's getting annoying."

"I find it fascinating." Hermione said.

"Yeah, well, you would." Ron said.

"So where should we start?" asked Blaise as they walked across the grounds.

"How about with some food?" suggested Ron. "I'm starving."

"As usual," said Draco.

"Was that some kind of crack about my family?"

"No. I was merely suggesting that you are a bottomless pit, who always seems to be hungry and stuffs his face with any edible substance in sight."

"Oh, that's okay then, I think. So, food?"

"Fine, I'll get the house elves to whip us up something."

"House elves?" Hermione turned to her boyfriend.

"Yes Hermione, house elves, and I'm not setting them free because of you. They like working for me." Draco said.

"Dobby didn't." she replied.

"Yes, well, you get wierdos in every family." Said Blaise. "House elves are no different."

Draco led them into the manor. The large foyer was painted a simple off-white with an oriental rug and a sparkling chandelier. To the right stood a dark rolltop desk on which stood a large peacock quill, an ink bottle, and a guest book. On either side of this desk stood a pair of ornate doors which Draco told the others led to the grand ballroom. On the left were two more doors which Draco informed them led to the kitchen and the banquet hall. A dark wooden staircase stood opposite them and on either side were more doors which Draco told them led downstairs to the dungeons.

After they ate, Draco toured them on the second floor, which contained the drawing room-where Ron insisted they look under the floor, but they found nothing-the parlor, a small dining room for when the banquet hall was not needed, the sitting room, the library, and Lucius's study-where Draco said they would find the most important information. On the third floor were the sleeping quarters. Including the master bedroom there were seven bedrooms and various bathrooms. Draco would be staying in his own room and the others each took one of the guest rooms. As it was already getting late, they went to bed; they would begin their search properly in the morning.

Draco awoke the next morning to a squeaky voice. "Master Draco, Master Draco, wake up, you have company." Draco opened his eyes slowly and turned to see the house elf bouncing next to his bed. She had large bat-like ears which resembled Dobby's and large blue eyes. She was wearing a pillowcase with holes in it for her head and arms.

"I know that I have company Scuppy" Draco told the elf irritably. "That's Hermione, Blaise, Potter and Weasley. Now go get my coffee, two creams and one sugar."

"Master Draco that is not what Scuppy meant. It is two men, Bernard MacNair and another man, Scuppy does not know who."

Draco sat up straight in his bed then practically jumped out of it. Racing to his closet, he called to the house elf, "Forget the coffee Scuppy. Go see to our guests; show them into the study and tell them that I'll be with them shortly."

"Yes Master Draco." Said Scuppy, and she hurried out of the room.

Draco pulled on a set of acid green robes and grabbed his hair gel as he raced to the next room where Blaise was sleeping. He shook the other boy awake. Blaise looked at him annoyed. "Draco, what the…" he started but Draco cut him off. "Bernard MacNair is here. Blaise, get dressed and wake up the others. Tell them to hide and then meet me in the study."

"Bernard MacNair?" Blaise repeated, shocked, as he jumped out of bed as well, hurrying to get dressed. "What is he doing here?"

"No idea" Draco said "He must be here as my legal representation. Mother said she hired him last summer." Bernard MacNair was a lawyer and was not officially a Death Eater as his brother Walden was. Draco found it slightly twisted the Bernard was a lawyer and his brother was an executioner.

"You need legal representation for a property transfer?"

"Apparently, now hurry up and hide them." Draco looked at the jar of hair gel, decided against it, and threw it down on the nightstand. Draco collected himself and calmly walked down to Lucius's study. When he entered the room he found Scuppy serving tea to Bernard MacNair and the other man she had mentioned. MacNair was a strong man in his late forties and he was tall and burly. The other man was short and very round. His rosy complexion and red robes gave Draco the impression of a giant cherry.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, we've been waiting for you," said the cherry man, "my name is Fredrick Walker and I'll be handling your property transfer this morning. I'm sure you know Bernard here," he indicated MacNair and Draco nodded. "He insisted on coming with me as your legal representation, but I don't think that's really necessary." Draco agreed but didn't say anything. He sat down behind Lucius's desk and MacNair moved to stand behind him.

"Who were you speaking with upstairs?" MacNair asked him suspiciously but Draco was saved from answering by Blaise walking in. "That was my associate here, Blaise Zabini, the head of the English division of Zabini Industries." Blaise nodded and pulled up a seat next to Draco. "Now if you don't mind Mr. Walker" said Draco, "We'd like to get this done."

"Ah, yes of course" Mr. Walker said, pulling out some papers from a briefcase "Property transfer from Mrs. Narcissa Black Malfoy to Mr. Draco Lucius Malfoy, entailing Malfoy Manor and all property within, Malfoy Incorporated, and the Malfoy family account at Gringotts Wizarding Bank. If you'll just sign by the Xs."

Draco took the papers from Mr. Walker and read through them with Blaise and MacNair reading over his shoulder. "This says that my mother needs to sign these papers in order for the property transfer to be legal." Draco said looking up.

"That doesn't apply in this case Draco," MacNair replied, "considering your mother is incarcerated, you will be acting in charge of the estate in her absence."

"What happens when my mother is released from prison?" Draco asked.

"All property originally in her name is returned to her but you retain any property originally under your father's name." Walker told him.

"What if my father is released from prison?" Draco said, referring to Lucius as his father, which his rarely did anymore. "Is his property returned to him?"

"Your father has received several life sentences Draco" MacNair reminded him. "It is very unlikely that he will get out of prison in a legal manner. You are his legal heir and given his incarceration with no forseeable time in which he might be released, inheritance law comes into effect. You are already seventeen, so all property in the Malfoy name is technically already yours. This document will make it legal. Everything seems to be in order Draco."

Draco picked up an eagle feather quill, dipped it in an inkwell, and signed his name. "Congratulations Mr. Malfoy" said Mr. Walker, standing up and offering Draco his hand, "you are now the legal owner of all Malfoy property." Smiling, Draco shook the man's hand.

With the property transfer completed, Walker left them, ushered to the door by Draco. He said that he needed to get to the Ministry to get the paperwork sorted and filed. MacNair left after him. They couldn't disapparate on the property, but once they were outside the gatesz they were able to do so and Draco let out a sigh of relief when the men were gone.

"That was unexpected" Draco said as he and Blaise walked back into Malfoy Manor.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked. "The whole point of coming here was so that you could do the property transfer."

"Yeah, but I didn't expect them to show up so early." Draco said "Where did you hide the others anyway?"

"In the bathroom of one of the guest rooms. I thought that no one would do in there. Good thing the house elves didn't say anything."

Draco hit his head with the palm of his hand. "I should have thought of that. It is a good thing that they didn't say anything. I didn't think to tell them not to." Draco and Blaise entered the house and climbed the staircase to the third floor. Blaise led Draco to the bedroom and through it to the bathroom where he had stashed the others. Hermione had put the lid down on the toilet and was sitting on top of it. Harry was leaning against the counter which held the sink and Ron was sitting on the seat in the shower.

"Are they gone?" asked Ron.

"No Ron," said Draco "we're just leading them to you so they can turn you over to Bernard's brother Walden and the rest of the Death Eaters."

"Hey, you can't joke about something like that" Ron chided "A few months ago and that's exactly what you'd be doing."

"A few months ago I wasn't allied to you guys and in love with Hermione," Draco countered.

"That was precisely my point" Ron pointed out.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I need my coffee," he said. "Scuppy!" he called. The house elf popped into view beside him, "I'll take my coffee now." He turned to the rest of them. "Anyone else want anything?"

"Orange juice" said Ron. Hermione shot him a dirty look but he ignored it.

"Look Hermione" said Draco "house elves are a part of wizarding culture. Besides, they like working for us. Don't you Scuppy?"

"Yes master Draco. Scuppy very much enjoys serving you. It is an honor for any house elf." The elf responded.

"See, they like it." Draco concluded. Hermione still looked unconvinced. "You can ask the rest of them if you like." Draco offered. "But I'll tell you this, I'm not getting rid of them. It's a disgrace for them if they go free."

"Yeah Hermione" Ron put in, "remember Winky? She was so upset that Crouch let her go. She was drinking all the time and falling all over herself."

"Why didn't Dobby like working for you then?" Hermione submitted.

"Probably because Lucius beat him" Draco answered as if it was nothing.

"Lucius beat him?" she asked, "Why? And why didn't he beat the other house elves?"

"The other house elves didn't question his authority. Dobby did. He didn't like that obviously." Draco answered. "Now does anyone else want anything?"

"How about a stack of galleons as tall as I am?" Blaise joked.

"You already have that Blaise." Draco reminded him, "Several of them in fact."

"Oh yeah" said Blaise. Ron scowled.

"Nothing else then?" Draco asked. Receiving no answer from any of them, he sent Scuppy to get his coffee and Ron's orange juice. She returned minutes later with the drinks in hand.

"Thank you." Draco told the elf. "You may go do whatever you have to do today." Scuppy left them then. Draco drank some of his coffee. "So what are we doing?" he asked the others.

"We search the house for anything suspicious." Hermione answered.

"Like what?" Draco asked "I doubt Voldemort would give Lucius any information about his Horcruxes."

"He gave him one of his Horcruxes." Harry stated bluntly.

"Yeah, but Lucius didn't know what it really was" said Blaise. "He still doesn't know."

"Still, he could have more information about the Horcruxes somewhere, especially if he doesn't know what it's really about. Or he could have something else useful." Hermione said.

"We should start in his study." Draco suggested, "then we can move on to the library and then to the rest of the house. Honestly, he could have stuff stashed anywhere."

Draco finished his coffee and Ron finished his orange juice and they called for Scuppy to come and take the glass and mug away. Then they headed down to the second floor to where the library and Lucius's study were located. They entered Lucius's study first. They split up, with Ron and Draco searching the desk and the others taking the bookshelves that lined the darkly glossed wall behind it.

"Guys, I think I got something." Ron said after a while. Draco looked over at the file Ron was looking through. Blaise, Harry, and Hermione came over to look as well. "I think these are notes from Death Eater meetings." Ron said.

Draco took the file from Ron's hands so that he could get a better look at it. It looked like the minutes to some kind of meeting but they were written in some kind of `1`code that Draco could not decipher just by looking at it. He didn't know if it was shorthand or if it was in some other kind of code but it was definitely encrypted. He and Hermione would have to work out the code, but they probably wouldn't have time to do so while they were at the manor.

"Gentlemen," said Hermione "I think we just found a clue."

"Let's put it in our handy dandy notebook." Blaise exclaimed. The rest of the party gave him funny looks.

"Did you just quote an American television show for preschoolers?" Hermione asked.

"My father owns Zabini Industries" Blaise said "It's ian advertising company that caters to both wizards and Muggles worldwide. I've seen all kinds of television shows and everything else from all over the world. I'm actually in charge of the English division now. Father gave it to me when I came of age. He's preparing me to take over the company."

"Isn't he only like forty or something?" Harry asked.

"He's thirty-eight" Balise said, "What's your point?"

Harry gave Blaise an incredulous look, then shook his head and said "never mind."

They searched the library next, in which the only suspicious findings were books on the dark arts, but that was something that they expected to find. As they searched the rest of the three main floors they found nothing of particular interest, except for an observation Harry made.

"You have a lot of dragon stuff here" he noted

"My mother likes dragons" Draco defended.

"Yeah, but she likes them to the point of being excessive" Blaise said "Draco and I once went around and counted all the dragon stuff in the house. There were 384 things that looked like dragons or had dragons on them. And I'm sure there are a lot more now. We were about twelve when we counted."

"Plus she named you after dragons" Ron put in.

"She named me after a constellation, which is a tradition in her family." Draco argued.

"That, and she named you after dragons." Blaise said smirking.

When they descended into the dungeons it was starting to look like they had found all that they could find at the manor. Draco turned a corner and found a large stone expanse of wall with a snake engraved on it.

"I've never seen this before" Draco said.

"What do you mean you've never seen it before?" Ron asked disbelievingly, "you live here."

"I've never really explored the dungeons" Draco said, "I came down here once and Lucius beat me for it."

"Lucius beat you too?' Hermione asked concerned.

"Not often" Draco assured her, "Only when I was in trouble, you know, when I was really bad."

"Well this is probably what he was hiding down here" Harry asserted "but how do we open it?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Blaise. "It's a wall. It doesn't open."

"I'll bet it does" Ron said, and tried to push on different places on the door. He tried to pull on the carved snake. Whatever he tried, the wall remained simply a wall with a carving on it. Ron turned back to the group, his ears red. "Hey, it was worth a shot" he said, "Harry, try speaking parseltongue to it. Maybe it opens like the chamber of Secrets."

Harry said something that sounded like hissing to Draco. Nothing happened. "Obviously that's not right." Hermione said.

"Maybe it needs blood," harry said "when Dumbledore and I went to get the locket that turned out to be fake, we had to give this door a blood sacrifice." Before anyone could respond, Harry produced a knife from his pocket and slit his hand open. Little beads of blood pooled in his palm.

"Harry, where did you get that knife?" Hermione practically shrieked.

"it's Sirius's knife." Harry said. "I've been carrying it around with me since Dumbledore died, just in case."

"In case of what?" Hermione asked panicky. Harry didn't answer her. Instead, he pressed his hand against the door. Nothing happened.

"We have to get through this door." Draco said.

"That is, if it is a door" Blaise replied.


	6. Chapter 6: A Giant and a Mountain Goat

Chapter warnings: Mild adult language

Author's Notes: The beginning of this chapter is brand new material. I felt that I needed to add in an element of a fight between Draco and Hermione. These two have had too much history for their relationship to just go smoothly, even if the actual blowout is with Ron. Also, this chapter and the next were originally meant to be one chapter, but I decided to split it up into two because it was the length of two of my chapters anyway. However, since I haven't updated in so long, I am going to try to get that one up as soon as possible as well. So without further ado, please enjoy…

Chapter 6: A Giant and a Mountain Goat

"You always have to take someone else's side don't you Ronald? Even if that someone else is Draco Malfoy!"

Draco froze before he could push the door in, wincing back as if he had been burned by touching it. He did an almost hop backwards as he lifted his hand from the wood and rose on his toes, rolling his body backwards away from the screaming on the other side of the door. He turned to Blaise, asking him without words what was going on and why Hermione was screaming that apparently they were on opposite sides of an argument and apparently Ron was taking his side.

"At least she's talking to someone mate" Blaise put in, not helpfully. Hermione had not been talking to either of the Slytherins for the past few days, not since they had gotten back from the trip on Halloween to Malfoy Manor. Blaise cautiously opened the door and snuck into the hall. Neither Hermione nor Ron was facing the door and they seemed to be completely engrossed in their argument. Blaise gestured to Draco and they snuck into the hall and sat as close to the door as they could at the Slytherin table, ready to make a run for it if they had to.

"I have no idea what you're on about Hermione." Ron said "What have I taken Malfoy's side on again?"

"House elves" Hermione shot back.

"What about house elves?" Ron asked confused and angry.

"You approve of them" Hermione accused.

"Of course I approve of them. They make life easier, they like working for wizards, and they are a part of wizarding culture, and you can try to change that but they aren't going to be happier Hermione, no one is but you."

"You know they beat house elves don't you?"

"Not everybody beats house elves"

"Oh, you're right, they make the house elves beat themselves"

"That's just programmed into their nature already. If they disobey their masters they are supposed to be punished. It's like how a child misbehaves and gets punished."

"Children do not get punished by being beaten"

"Maybe not you, but I'm seventeen years old and a foot taller than my mother and she still threatens to bend me over her knee and paddle my behind with a wooden spoon."

"House elves get a lot harsher punishment than that"

"No, you don't get it Hermione, they really don't. Yeah, some people punish their house elves harder, but really most people don't treat them badly. Didn't you see how Malfoy was acting around his? And don't you see how the house elves act around here? You've met some of them. And you saw how upset Winky was when Crouch let her go. Let me spell it out for you. They. Like. Working. For. Wizards."

"They are slaves! You treat them like you own them!"

"People do own them, Hermione, they are property! Just like Crookshanks is your property, and Pig is my property, house elves are property."

"They are not pets. You don't make pets work like that and then beat them and ignore them."

"You're right they're not pets, they're like work animals. Like how farmers use horses and asses"

"You're an arse!"

"Oh very clever response Hermione"

Hermione made a frustrated noise. "I can't argue with you, Ronald," she said, and stormed out of the Great Hall, never once taking notice that the real target of her aggression was sitting in the room. Draco turned to Blaise, who looked as confused as he felt. They both glanced at Ron and then back at each other. "What just happened?" Draco asked. Blaise just shrugged.

* * *

><p>"So how do we get into that, whatever is behind the door?"<p>

"Draco, you've been asking that for the past three weeks." Blaise sighed. "We don't even know if it is a door. It could just be decoration for all we know."

"Who would put a big stone slab with a snake on it in their dungeon for decoration?" Draco asked skeptically.

"Lucius Malfoy," Blaise countered, "or his father or grandfather or any of the lot of them. The Malfoy line has always been very Slytherin-centric. Even you Draco."

"I have an excuse" Draco said, indicating to Blaise that he meant that he had Slytherin blood in him. Blaise rolled his eyes and took a bite of his toast. Draco pushed his cereal around in the bowl with his spoon. Draco hadn't been eating very much since his mother had been arrested. He wasn't worried about himself, but he made an effort to not let Blaise or anyone else notice.

Draco barely looked up when Demetri brought him his copy of the Daily Prophet. It was when another owl, a large tawny, landed next to him that he bothered to take notice. The owl had a napkin in its beak. Someone must have written him a note just now and had their owl deliver it when it came to give them their morning mail. He took the napkin from the owl and was greeted with Hermione's handwriting. Blaise leaned over his shoulder to see the note and asked, "Has she decided to talk to you again mate?" Draco shrugged.

The note said 'Hagrid wants us to help him with Grawp today. Meet us at his hut after breakfast.'

"What's a Grawp?" Blaise asked.

"I don't know" Draco said, "and I'm not sure I want to find out."

* * *

><p>"So what exactly is a Grawp?" Blaise asked Hermione as they walked down to Hagrid's hut after breakfast.<p>

"Not what, who," Harry corrected.

"Okay, then who is Grawp?" Blaise amended.

"Hagrid's little brother" Harry told him.

"There's nothing little about Grawp" Ron said.

"Wait, why do we have to help with a person?" Draco asked.

"It's his half-brother" Harry said, as if this explained everything.

"I still don't see why we have to…" Draco had a sudden revelation, "Grawp is a giant, isn't he?"

"Yes" Harry said.

"We're going to help with a giant?" Blaise asked nervously. "What are we going to help with?"

"Hagrid's trying to teach him to incorporate into human society" Harry said.

"Bloody bonkers if you ask me," said Ron.

Draco, Blaise, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville reached Hagrid's hut, outside of which Hagrid was standing next to several crates of watermelons and pumpkins.

"'Ello everybody" Hagrid greeted. "'Ermione, I didn't know you were bringin' so many people. Ah well, it'll be good for Grawp ta be around a lotta people. 'E usually only gets ta be 'round a few humans at once. Now can ya grab some o' these crates? We're takin' Grawp some food. 'E needs summat more'n meat ter eat."

Draco gave Hagrid a look. It was weird for the large man to be concerned about his giant brother's nutrition. Besides, Hagrid was like, sixty-five or seventy years old so his brother couldn't be that much younger. Did giants really need to be babied at that age? Shouldn't he know what to eat?

"Can you get these crates and carry 'em with ya?" Hagrid asked them.

Ron shrugged, then bent down and tried to pick up a crate of watermelons. He groaned as he did so, but the crate was too heavy to heave into his arms. Draco rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand. He pointed it at one of the crates and said "Wingardium Leviosa." The crate levitated. Draco smirked.

"Or that could work." Ron said, standing up and repeating Draco's spell. The others also each levitated a crate while Hagrid picked up two of them and held one under each arm.

"Okay," Hagrid said, "We're goin; up ta the mountains"

"I thought Grawp was in the forest" Hermione said.

"I had ter move 'im." Hagrid explained, "The centaurs were getting restless with 'im in there, 'specially with 'im tearin' up the trees. They told me a few times they wanted 'im out a the forest an' I figured I should get 'im outta their home. I know 'e can't help it, but Grawp needed ta stop tearin' up their trees. Sos I moved 'im up ta the mountains. It's a little ways of a walk up there though. Anyways, we better be off." He started walking out towards Hogsmeade. The others followed him up to the village and throught it to the mountains in the distance. They came out to the mouth of a cae and Hagrid stopped.

"Grawp" Hagrid called. Draco set down his crate of pumpkins. Something moved inside the cave. From its depths emerged the giant. It, or Draco supposed it was a he, was sixteen feet tall at least and about three times as broad as Hagrid, who was himself three times as broad as a normal man.

"Th…that's Grawp?" Blaise asked, seeming frightened. "H-he's s-s-so big." Blaise tried to hide behind Draco, but Draco was shorter and leaner than Blaise and it wasn't working very well.

"Well you knew he was a giant Blaise" Draco said.

"Yeah, but I didn't know he'd be this big. I had more in mind someone who looks like Hagrid." Blaise defended himself.

"Hagrid's only half-giant" Draco said "of course a full giant would be bigger than him"

"Hello, Hermy, Harry, Ron, Hagger" the giant spoke, sounding like a little kid who was just learning how to talk.

"Hermy?" Draco asked amused

"It's hard for him to say and remember my whole name" Hermioen answered

"'Ello Grawp" Hagrid said.

"Who these people?" Grawp asked, motioning to the boys he didn't know.

"Grawp, this is Neville," Neville waved when Hagrid introduced him, "and Draco and Blaise." Blaise again ducked down and hid behind Draco. Draco was not amused by this. He stepped aside so that Blaise was revealed. Blaise ducked behind Draco again. Draco stepped back to his original position. Balise followed. The blond sighed and gave up.

"Grawp, we brought ya some food" Hagird said setting down his crates. Draco noticed that the rest of the party had already set theirs down. Grawp picked up a crate in his hand, which was roughly the size of a rubbish bin lid, and smelled it. Then he took out one of the pumpkins in the crate and ate the whole thing in one bite. A smile came across the giant's face. "Good" the giant said.

"That's called pumpkin" Hagrid said, "and this is called watermelon" he held up one of the watermelons. Grawp took the watermelon from Hagrid and ate that too. "That good too" Grawp said. Then he seemed to remember something. He stood up very straight and said "Thank you"

Draco thought that it was almost cute seeing the giant act like a little kid. He briefly wondered how old Grawp was. He couldn't be that young, what with how old Hagird was. Then Draco wondered what giant culture was like. Were giants as stupid as people made them out to be? Or was it just that their culture wasn't as advanced as that of humans?

Blaise backed away from the giant, apparently still afraid. He wasn't looking where he was going. All of a sudden Blaise was tumbling back down the mountain. Draco turned and ran to the edge of the ledge, yelling for Blaise. Blaise landed after a short distance.

Blaise stood and brushed himself out, wincing a little as he did so. He didn't seem to have any serious injuries. Blaise turned around and seemed to see it just when Draco did. There was a mountain goat looking at Blaise, getting ready to charge him. Blaise looked at the goat for a minute, then turned and ran in the opposite direction. The goat ran after him. Blaise ran in circles on the ledge below them and the goat chased close behind him. Blaise was screaming. All Draco could think was that they had to somehow get Blaise away from the goat before it did any damage to him.

Just them, Grawp stepped past Draco, down onto the lower ledge. He used both hands to pick up Blaise gently and place him back on the upper ledge. The goat seemed stunned. It stopped running and looked up at Grawp.

"Bad goat" Grawp scolded. "Don't hurt friend."

* * *

><p>"And then I was chased by a giant killer mountain goat" Blaise panned for sympathy from Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Green grass.<p>

"Blaise, it was not a giant goat. It was just a regular sized goat." Draco said, trying to be patient.

"It was big Draco. That thing was huge." Blaise countered.

"Blaise, you don't even know how big mountain goats are supposed to be." Draco said.

"Well that's not my fault." Blaise defended. "I don't live in the mountains."

"You have a ski lodge in the Swiss Alps and a summer home in Santorini, Greece." Draco reminded him, "Not to mention you live nine months out of the year here in a castle in the mountains of Scotland."

"Well yes, but I don't actually live out on the mountains where the goats are." Blaise retorted. Draco rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to go back to my common room." Draco sighed, then got up and walked back up the many staircases it took for him to get to the seventh floor from the dungeons and into his common room. Hermione was sitting by the fire reading her Shakespeare book. Draco sat down next to her. "Hi" he said simply.

She looked up from her book. "Did you want something?" she asked coldly.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Why do you care?" So they were back to this. She hadn't been speaking to him at all since they had returned from the trip to his manor. He knew it was because of his house elves and he knew that they would have to talk about the matter sooner rather than later. But first he had to get her to talk to him. "Have dinner with me," he said.

"Draco, I don't think" she started, but he cut her off. "Not in the Great Hall. I want to have dinner on top of this tower. Just the two of us."

She gave him a searching look. "Fine, what time should I be ready?"

"Meet me here at eight" he said "and wear something nice okay?" he grinned.


	7. Chapter 7: Dinner Date

Chapter Warnings: Adult language, mentions of physical punishment

Author's Notes: This chapter was previously written but has been edited around the changes of the last chapter. It also gets into some discussion on the physical punishment of children, basically whether or not it is okay to give a disobedient child an arse-whooping. (This is in response to all those, "my-daddy-beat-me-with-his-pimp-cane" Draco stories.) Remember that these characters were young children in the 1980s, when it was more commonly accepted to spank or otherwise physically punish children, especially among traditionalist parents, such as the Malfoys. This chapter takes place in November 1997, again, when it was more conventional to spank or physically discipline children than today.

With that in mind, enjoy…

Chapter 7: Dinner Date

Draco was nervous. He had everything planned out and he wanted it to go perfectly. He had prepared a five course meal with the portions precisely measured as to how much he and Hermione could eat. Draco could eat a surprising amount when he wanted to, and he had spent enough time looking over at the Gryffindor table to know that so could she. He had pulled out all the stops on this meal.

Draco adjusted his tie. Then he pulled it off. He wondered how formal he should be for this. Usually he dated wealthy pureblood girls who expected him to be dressed to the nines. But Hermione was not one of those girls. He knew he had to look better than he did on any school day, but he was usually dressed quite well on school days. He wondered if he should have asked for help on deciding what to wear, but he decided that would be too much of a girl thing to do. He wished it wasn't. Hermione had been in her room for hours with Ginny and Luna, presumably doing the same thing he was doing.

He had chosen a light grey Armani suit that he had been told brought out the color of his eyes. The shirt was a simple white cotton Oxford underneath it. He tossed the tie aside and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, attempting to make the outfit just a touch less formal.

If he had been wearing robes, he could have picked out his clothing a lot easier. He had been trained from the time he could dress himself on what was appropriate wizard wear on various occasions. Instead he had chosen to wear one of his Muggle suits. He had felt Hermione would appreciate it more.

He spritzed on his spicy cologne and reached for his jar of hair gel. He looked at it thoughtfully, then set it down. Hermione seemed to like it when he let his hair fall into his face and he decided to let it do so, despite the voice in his head telling him it was undignified. He had to fight to ignore the voice because it sounded like his mother. If it had been Lucius's voice it would have been far less difficult to ignore.

Deciding he was ready, he walked downstairs to the common room to wait for Hermione. He hoped she wasn't ready yet and waiting for him. He had always been taught that it was proper for a man to be waiting on a woman, not the other way around. He didn't know why that was proper, but he thought it was also somewhat romantic to watch the woman make an entrance, walking down the steps dressed up to go out. He chuckled to himself. That sounded worse than it being the proper thing to do. Draco got down to the common room and found that Hermione was not there. Good, he thought. He looked at his watch. He still had ten minutes left until eight. He looked back up Hermione's staircase and waited. Not a minute later, he saw Ginny's head peak around the door and heard her squeal as she shut the door again. How long had she been looking out for him? Was Hermione ready and she was waiting to make her entrance like he wanted? Ginny and Luna hurried out of her door and down the staircase.

"Hey Draco," Ginny said "You look nice. Hermione's almost ready. Bye," and she was out of the hole behind the painting along with her blonde friend.

Draco waited another fifteen minutes before the door opened again and Hermione stepped out. She was a vision. Her dress was a deep rich blue cut in a halter style that plunged into a deep-vee neckline. The dress fell to the floor but had a slit up the side that came to the middle of her thigh. Her feet and calves were wrapped in a kind of sandal that made Draco think of the Trojan War. Her hair was in curls that hung around her face, still retaining a lot of the bushy shape but in a much more elegant way. She was wearing the heart shaped necklace that he had given her for her birthday. Draco's jaw dropped.

"Hermione, you, you look amazing." Draco told her.

"Thank you" Hermione blushed "You look very nice as well. Sorry I'm late."

Draco shook his head "You're not late" he said. He offered her his arm, which she took. "As I said, we're going up to the top of the tower." He led her out of the painting hole and around to another point at the base of the tower, where a tapestry concealed a staircase that wound around and up the tower. He went before her, leading her to the top.

At the top of the tower was set a table for two. Draco pulled out Hermione's seat for her and after she sat down he took his own.

Draco would normally have called for a house elf to fill their glasses with water and the wine for the first course, but he knew that this would put him right back on the short list with Hermione. Instead he had the elves send up the food at his cue and he served both of them himself. Hermione seemed to like this anyway. Draco had selected a different wine for each course, with the help of the house elves in the kitchens, who always seemed to know things like that. The first course appeared before them, a lobster bisque.

"I feel like we haven't really had the time to talk and really get to know each other." Draco said.

"I suppose you're right" Hermione agreed. "What do you want to know?"

"What was your childhood like?" Draco asked, "How was it growing up with Muggles?"

"Well my parents are dentists" Hermione began.

"What are dentists?" Draco asked.

"They're healers for your teeth."

"You have healers for your teeth?"

"Yes"

"Weird"

"Will you let me finish?'

"Yes, go ahead, tooth healers."

"Yes, so anyway, they're dentists so I couldn't have a lot of sweets at home. When I got to Hogwarts I started eating them like crazy but I got tired of them after a while. Ron thinks it's horrible that I couldn't have a lot of sweets as a child."

"I know what it's like though" Draco said "I would get hyper whenever I had sugar and that was undignified so I didn't get to have them often."

"Your parents put a lot of emphasis on what was proper and what wasn't, didn't they?"

"Yes, my mother and Lucius taught me from birth how a proper wizard should act."

"You know, you could still call Lucius your father."

"I choose to no longer acknowledge that man as my father, especially when I know that he is, in fact, not my father."

"So what, are you going to address Voldemort as Father now?" she laughed. He laughed as well. "Probably not." He said.

The soup bowls were removed and the next course appeared before them, pan-seared sea scallops and risotto.

"So is it true Muggle children start school at the age of five?" Draco asked.

"Yes, they go to school from age five to eighteen, approximately. Some people start early or late. It mostly depends on when your birthday is."

"You can start early or late?"

"Yes"

"They don't have you all go when you're five in September?"

"No, well, everybody starts in September and goes until May, but you can start when you're four or when you're six. I started when I was four because my birthday is so soon after school starts."

"Wow. So you went to school for six years before you came here?"

"Seven actually. You were forgetting to include both four and ten."

"Oh right. What did they teach you?"

"They taught us simple stuff at first, like our colors and letters and numbers. Then as we got older we learned about plants and animals and how to read and write and do math."

"What's math?"

"It's like Arithmancy. You learn how to manipulate numbers. Only we do it so we can figure out how to work elevators and cut wood into angles and things like that."

"They teach you that so young."

"Well, they teach us the basics first. But I was a little bit gifted with math, so I had third year Arithmancy pretty much learned before I came here. That's part of why I was able to take so many classes third year. I also knew all the Muggle Studies material obviously."

"Okay, so then how do Muggle elevators work?"

"It's very complicated but the short answer is through a system of pulleys and motors."

Draco looked confused and decided to ask about something else as their scallops were replaced by stuffed quails with red pepper sauce and seasonal vegetables. "Why didn't your mother teach you these things?"

"Well, she was at work." Hermione told him. "Some children are taught at home but most of them go to school."

"Don't their mothers miss them if they leave home so young?"

"Oh, we didn't sleep at school. We went during the day and came home at night."

"Really?"

"Yeah"

"That's weird."

"It's just different from what you're used to."

"I guess"

"So I assume your mother taught you to read and write and everything."

"Well, yes, aren't mothers supposed to do that?"

"In the wizarding world I suppose so."

"In the old wizarding families the women either work from home or don't work so that they can take care of the kids."

"I think that's more of a rich thing."

"No it's not. Look at Ron's mother. She doesn't work."

Hermione supposed he was right. The eaten quail was taken away and lamb filet was brought with grilled asparagus and caramelized onions.

"You said that Lucius used to hit you." Hermione said seriously.

"Only when I was bad," Draco defended. "He didn't hit me unless he had a good reason. If I was bad I got my arse kicked. It's no big deal."

"A parent should never hit their child."

"Well, it's okay in the wizarding world."

"Well it shouldn't be."

"It's just how things are done. When a child misbehaves, they have to be punished so that they won't do it again. It's okay for parents to hit their children to teach them a lesson. Ron said his mother used to spank him with a wooden spoon. Lucius would smack my hands with his cane. It hurts but it teaches you a lesson. You don't do that thing anymore that you're getting punished for. It's not like he cursed me or hit me over the head or broke any bones. It's not abuse; it's discipline."

"Would you ever hit your child Draco?"

"I don't know. It depends on what they did. And of course I would have to discuss it with my child's mother first."

Hermione sighed.

"Just so you know," Draco said, "I've never hit my elves. They pretty much do what I say and I let them do what they want the rest of the time. I treat them like I treat Crabbe and Goyle to be honest. I tell them to do something. They do it. If they screw it up, I yell at them for a little while and then send them on their way."

Hermione didn't look up. "That's basically how my parents used to discipline me."

"They never hit you?"

"No, never"

"Good, you're too precious to be hit."

She blushed, "you're such a sweet talker." She said.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all."

The lamb was then replaced by a slice for each of them of strawberry laced cheesecake.

"I can't get rid of my house elves Hermione" Draco broached the subject cautiously. "They would be devastated and disgraced to be let go. They've been working for my family their whole lives, most of them. Right now, they're just at the Manor keeping it clean and everything and they'll let me know if anyone comes to call. But they like working for me and like I said I don't hit them or anything."

"You say you treat them like people but you don't give them clothes or wages."

"I give them food and a place to live and work to do. I treat them how they want to be treated."

Hermione sighed again.

"You can ask them if you want to next time you come to the Manor." He let the invitation hang in the air. It was more than an invitation to talk to his house elves. The real implication was that he was asking her to come and stay with him at the manor at some point. He bit his lip as he watched her process his words.

"Maybe over Christmas." She said. He grinned broadly. She was accepting him and she had all but accepted the fact that he had house elves. And Christmas was just a month away.

He stood as the finished their cheesecake and asked, "Would you like to go for a ride?"

"On what exactly?" she asked. "I hardly think we're dressed for brooms or animals."

"On a magic carpet" he said.

"You have your own magic carpet?"

"I have my own island."

"You have your own island?"

"Yes"

"Where is it?"

"In the South Pacific"

"What's it called?"

"Antara"

"You really have your own island?"

"Yes"

"Just how rich are you?"

"As of Halloween my net worth is…:

"Yes?"

"827 million galleons"

""You're kidding"

"No"

"You're worth 827 million galleons?"

"Approximately. Now are we riding this thing or not?" He gestured to a Persian rug in the corner.

"Wait, aren't these things illegal?" she asked.

"Only if you get caught."


	8. Chapter 8: Calling All Cats

Chapter Warnings: Mild Adult Language

Authors Note: Hello all, I realize that it has been a long time since I updated, but real life takes priority over writing. I've had stuff to deal with for university and in my personal life. But now I have a chance to write and I have pumped out another chapter for you. There is an allusion to a line from one of the books, about _Hogwarts a History_. The passageway that Pettigrew uses is actually mentioned in the third book. And as for the last line, well hopefully you recognize it as a reference to the first story, "Heir to the Serpent." So read and review….

Chapter 8: Calling All Cats

There was someone shaking Draco awake. The blond lifted his head and squinted his eyes open to see that a House Elf was at his bedside, shaking him in an attempt to wake him up, He squinted at the elf. It looked very familiar.

"Dobby?" Draco asked. "What's going on? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Dobby works here master Draco. But that is not important. You must get up and go right away sir. An intruder is in Hogwarts sir."

Draco leapt up out of the bed and raced into Hermione's room only to find that she was already awake.

"You are wanted in the Great Hall." Dobby said. "They are meeting there."

Draco sprinted out of Hermione's room, out of their quarters and down to the Great Hall. All of the houses were assembled there. "What's going on?" Draco asked panting of McGonagall, who was talking to Harry. The teen was holding a piece of parchment that was very old but as far as Draco could see, did not have any writing on it. Draco wondered vaguely what the parchment was all about before his mind turned to more pressing matters. "I heard that there was an intruder in the castle."

"Peter Pettigrew is here somewhere." Harry said.

"How do you know?" Draco asked. "Are you sure?"

"Mr. Potter assures me that he is quite sure, but he will not tell me how it is that he knows this." McGonagall told Draco. Hermione came up behind Draco at that point, panting from shortness of breath. Presumably she had run after Draco. Draco caught Hermione glancing at the piece of parchment in Harry's hand and her resolve seemed to stiffen. At this point Draco was sure that there was something suspicious about this paper, but he had no idea what it was so he said nothing about it.

"We have to get Pettigrew out of the castle." Hermione said. "But Professor he can turn into a rat. How will we find him?" Draco had a feeling that the paper would have helped in this task but it didn't seem like Harry was going to use it, at least not in front of so many people. Draco contemplated the situation. How did one find a rat in a giant castle? A specific rat mind you, not just any rat. His question was answered for him in the form of Blaise suddenly behind him saying, "Calling all cats, calling all cats."

"Wait, that's actually not a bad idea," Draco said. "We round up all the cats of the castle and send them after him. There's got to be enough cats in this place to catch him."

"I was joking Draco." Blaise insisted. "Besides even if we did manage to round up all the cats in the castle, how do we get them to do what we want them to do?"

"I believe that would be my job," McGonagall said and turned briefly into a tabby cat, just long enough to make her point, before turning back into a woman.

"So what are we going to do?" Blaise asked, "put out an ACB?"

"An ABC? What are you talking about now Blaise?" Even though Blaise's original joke had turned out to be a good idea, Draco didn't really think it was the time for Blaise to be joking around. It was a serious situation that there was a Death Eater in the castle. Draco knew who Peter Pettigrew was. Draco had never been part of Voldemort's inner circle; he had not been with the Death eaters long enough to get in deep. His family however was part of the inner circle. His aunt Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy were very close to Voldemort. There were some people who though tthat Voldemort and Bellatrix were lovers. The idea would have been laughable if it weren't so disturbing to Draco, and if it weren't so close to the truth. But Pettigrew was extremely close to the Dark Lord. Bellatrix and Lucius both mocked the man, but he was the reason that Voldemort had risen to power once more nad he could be said to be the one who lost him his powers in the first place. Pettigrew might not seem dangerous to most people, but Draco knew that he held a lot of power over the Dark Lord.

"Not an ABC," Blaise said, "An ACB, an all cats bulletin. You know, get all the cats in the castle on guard for this thing? This person or rat or whatever?"

"Again how do we round up all the cats in this place?" Draco asked. "And we need more than cats on this thing. We need to get people here."

"You're right," Hermione said "We need to call the Order in on this."

"What about the Ministry? The Aurors?" It was Flitwick. Draco turned to McGonagall, feeling that it was her duty to decide whether they could trust the Ministry right now, but Draco for one did not.

"Leave that decision to Kingsley," McGonagall told Flitwick. Draco cast about for his Defense teacher but couldn't find him. Presumably the man was already searching the grounds for Pettigrew.

"Harry" Hermione said, pulling them aside from the teachers. "We have to let them know where Pettigrew is." Then conspiratorially she leaned in to whisper in his ear. Draco could just barely make out her question as to why he hadn't just gone after Pettigrew himself. Draco raised his eyebrow at Harry. He had been wondering the same thing.

"I needed backup" Harry said. "I immediately sent Dobby to get you and Ron was already with me. Still I need," he bent his head in so that only Hermione, Draco, Ron, and Blaise could hear him. "I need Pettigrew to be scared and I need him to know that we know he's here. I need to see what route he takes to leave. I need to know if other Death Eaters can get in the way that he got in."

"So basically you're waiting for him to leave." Draco said. "How do you know he hasn't already left?"

"Charmed his name," Harry said, "put a tracking charm on it. If it goes off the radar, I'll know."

"That makes no sense" Draco said "What radar? What do you mean you put a tracking charm on his name?"

Harry smirked up at Draco, "We have a map" Draco looked again at the parchment in Harry's hands. Up close he could definitely see that there was nothing written on it.

"What are you on about Potter?" Draco asked. "There's nothing written on that bit of paper in your hand."

"Nothing written on it now." Harry said. He looked around them at the crowd. "We need to get to someplace more private to figure out how to lead the charge without seeming like we're the ones doing it."

"Head's common Room?" Ron asked.

"No, we need to get into McGonagall's office." Draco said "Then we've got the floo network and the Order on our side."

"We need to get in contact with Remus Lupin" Harry told them.

"Why?" Blaise asked.

"Two reasons," Harry said. "First of all, he was friends with Pettigrew in school. He knows how he operates and how to identify him in both forms."

"I could do that" Ron said, somewhat bitterly. Draco raised an eyebrow at him.

"Second of all" Harry continued, ignoring Ron, "He's the one who made the map."

"What map?" Draco asked.

Harry looked between him and Blaise and then to Hermione and Ron. "We need to get somewhere secure first."

Harry walked back, over to McGonagall, who was now conversing with Shacklebott and Flitwick. Draco watched him, not able to hear what he was saying. How the hell did Potter think he was going to commendere the Headmistress' office in order to use as a base of operations to secretly lead a mission or whatever this was in order to capture Pettigrew, but only at the right time? And how was he going to get everyone to go along with this crazy plan not knowing he was behind it, especially when the cover that he was using was something with an army of cats that Blaise had come up with as a joke? And how was he mgoing to know where Pegttigrew was and which way he was going and if he was even still here with only an unspecified charm, a radar system the Draco doubted even really existed, and an old bit of parchment that in Potter's delusional mind was actually a map made by Remus Lupin.

"We're in" Harry said as he came back over to them. Damn Potter. How the hell did he do that? "McGonagall is going to send out the bulletin as a cat and hopefully all the cats in the school will respond to it. She agreed with me to have Mrs. Norris and Crookshanks as her Lieutenants in this operation."

"What? Crookshanks and Mrs. Norris are Lieutenants?" Blaise asked in disbelief. "You do all realize that I was joking right?" How are Mrs. Norris and Crookshanks going to be helpful as cat Lieutenants?"

"Well Mrs. Norris knows the secret passageways around the castle and Crookshanks knows Pettigrew. They're our best bet at capturing him with cats. Or at least getting close enough to him to scare him. Now come on, McGonagall;s going to go elsewhere to give the announcement so that the whole school doesn't realize that we're using their cats. That would cause uproar. Meanwhile, Shacklebott will be flooing into the Auror department and bringing back Tonks and other people he thinks we can trust. As for us, we've got to have someone floo to Grimmauld Place and get the rest of the Order or as many of them as we can."

"I'll do it" Ron said. "That way you can start to lead the charge Harry."

"They won't be able to come through here they'll have to come from the village. The fireplaces in the castle can be used to send messages but not for transportation." Hermione said.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Because then anyone could get in. Honestly, you all have got to read Hogwarts a History."

"Why do we need to read it if you know it by heart?" Ron asked. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"Great, now we have to go.: Harry insisted and he herded them out of the great Hall and up to McGonagall's office, where Hermione gave the password and Ron hurried to the fireplace to floo to Grimmauld Place.

"Come over here" Harry called to them and Draco turned from Ron to approach Harry. Spread out on the desk before him was a map of Hogwarts with little moving dots that showed all the residents of the castle. Draco's eyes widened as he wondered at the map. He now knew what that old bit of parchment had been.

"Where did you get this?" he asked Harry.

"From Fred and George Weasley, but that's not important. Help me look for Pettigrew." He said scanning the map. Draco couldn't take his eyes off of it. He scanned the map for Pettigrew as best he could, but he was half distracted by the novelty and splendor of the map.

"There!" Hermione exclaimed, pointing at a spot down the History of magic corridor on the fourth floor. The dot labeled Peter Pettigrew was hurrying down the corridor as a loud mewing sound was heard amplified throughout the halls. McGonagall was calling the cats to the hunt and Pettigrew was obviously getting nervous hearing the loud sounds of cats. Draco didn't know how many cats were in the school, but there were about 300 students in the school and quite a few of them had cats. There should be a decent number of them now after Pettigrew.

"What do we do now Harry?" Ron asked. "How are we going to let the cats know where Pettigrew is?"

"We're not" said Harry, "Like I said, we want him scared and we want him to run. We're trying to figure out how he got in and if other Death Eaters could get in after him."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Why not just use Veritaserum?" he asked. "Then we could find out what he's up to and we wouldn't have to go to all this trouble of making it look like we're trying to find him when we're not and letting him possibly get away."

"Because we're not the only ones he'll talk to" said Harry, "and we're not the only ones with an agenda. If we capture him, they'll send him to Azkaban. If he does end up there, then Voldemort knows he was captured and will change his plans, so we'll have captured Pettigrew essentially for nothing. And if Pettigrew escapes after we capture him, then he goes back to Voldemort and either he tells Voldemort what happened or Voldemort forces it out of him through torture and Legilimancy. The only way for him to go through with the plan of using this particular way that he's found to get in, is to let him escape."

"You're serious about this?" Draco asked, already knowing that Harry was.

"Definitely" Harry said. Draco knew he had thought this out, but he still didn't like it. "So we're putting on this big show to make out like we're going to catch him, getting the Order and the Aurors and the bloody cats involved just to scare him so that we can let him escape?" Draco ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "But why? Why are we making all this fuss if we're going to let him just escape? If we get him scared won't he just go tell Voldemort what happened and his plan will change anyway?"

"No," Harry said, "It'll tell them how little time they have to put the plan into action. Really they'll have less time than that. I watched Pettigrew for a while before I sounded the alarm. That way when a real attack happens, we'll have that much more time to assemble out forces. We need them to know we're prepared, it'll stave off their attack for a bit, but we also need them to think that they'll have more time than they do to catch them off guard. And as I've been telling you all along, we need to find out where he goes. We need to know how he got in and how others might get in. Besides, we need to be ready to deploy our forces in case more Death Eaters than just Pettigrew get in. Look" He exclaimed, pointing at the post of the map that was Pettigrew. It was going into a passageway. Draco hadn't noticed before, in the castle, nor on the map of it. The passageway was on the other side of the fourth floor, behind a mirror.

"I thought that passageway was caved in." Hermione said "You told us that years ago; that's why we've never used it."

"We'll he's gotten in that way." Harry said. "That's how he'll be getting the Death eaters into the castle. Everyone who knows about that passageway thinks it's been blocked off for years, but he's found a hole. It may not be big enough for a human now, but it will be."

"Wow Potter, when did you get so strategic?" Draco asked.

"What do you think I've done since Dumbledore died?" Harry asked "Knit?"


End file.
